On the back of three consecutive losses, Gosport were looking to change their fortunes against an inform Chertsey side. In their last eight league fixtures they have won six, drawn 1 and lost one. The two sides did share one similarity in the hope of securing a playoff spot, so everything was to play for…

A rapid counter on nine minutes led by Conor Lee down the right resulted with him picking out Bradley Wilson at the back post. Wilson kept his composure in front of goal and he rifled home for his tenth of the season for Chertsey.

Gosport had an excellent opportunity on fourteen minutes when Trevor Caborn, who returned back to the first team, placed a cross into the six yard box. A towering Charlie Wassmer climbed onto the cross but glanced his header the wrong side of the Chertsey post.

Hisham Kasimu came close as well after weaving his way into the visitor’s box after dribbling past two defenders. Left of the six yard box the striker went for a powerful shot at goal but Luke Roberts flew to his left to push out for a corner.

Gosport continued to dominate the remainder of the half, but just weren’t clinical enough, with it finishing at the break:

Half-Time | Gosport Borough 0-1 Chertsey Town.

Five minutes into the second half Rory Williams was called upon to make a fantastic block. Wilson looked certain to grab the second having had the ball inside the Gosport penalty area. The Gosport skipper went sliding in to make the vital block.

Glenn Howes looked to shake things up and decided to bring on: Brad Tarbuck, Michael Fernadnes and Fin Walsh-Smith. All of which would bring a lot of energy to the side.

On sixty minutes after knocking on the door for so long, they finally got themselves level. Jordan Ngalo elegantly took the ball down the right hand side after overturning possession deep in the Chertsey half before cutting back into Dan Wooden open in front of goal. Dan tapped home to send us level.

Ten minutes after Gosport’s first they got their second. Ethan Taylor managed to steal possession just outside the Chertsey penalty box, and placed a short pass into Brad Tarbuck. The Gosport substitute, who returned back to the team after a while out on the sidelines through injury, drove a low-driven shot into the far corner to take the lead.

Gosport’s lead lasted just a matter of minutes before Chertsey added another to their tally. Nathan Minhas was the recipient of a lobbed ball over the Chertsey back line and the striker unselfishly squared into substitute Gary Abisogun who took one touch before finessing his shot past Blackledge to make it 2-2.

Chertsey nearly manage to win it at the death, when another lobbed pass was rocked into the Gosport box. Henry Blackledge came out of his six yard box to make a necessary interception to parry it away from Daniel Berry. Berry still found a way to get onto the end of the deflection and looked to chip into Minhas. Charlie Wassmer stood in front of the striker made himself big, blocking the header in a crucial moment.

The full-time whistle shortly followed, with it finishing:

Full-Time | Gosport Borough 2-2 Chertsey Town.

Overall it felt like this was a fair result, in what turned out to be a game of the season contender. Gosport have a week’s break before travelling to Tiverton Town, so we’ll see you then. But final words from me: UP THE BORO!!!

Cover picture by Nuno Cardoso